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How to Choose the Right Digital Signage Display

When the topic of digital signage comes up, most people conjure up an image in their head of a flat screen display similar to the television they use at home. While this is certainly accurate in many situations, there are a wide range of display solutions available.

digital signage small

“What is this? Digital Signage for ants?”

If you’ve read our 10 Tips for Choosing the Best TV for Your Digital Menu Board post, you know that bigger isn’t always better. Every business’ physical premises and digital signage goals are different.
digital signage illusion

The Ebbinghaus illusion illustrating how context impacts our subjective perception of size (both orange circles are identical) — Similarly, a digital signage installation is impacted by its environment.

Familiarizing yourself with the following options will allow you to select the best device for your unique use case:

1. Tablets (4.3”-24”) 2. Computer Monitors (19”-32”) 3. Televisions (32”-70”+) 4. Kiosks (42”-55”) 5. All-in-One PCs (19”-27”) 6. Projectors (70”+)

1. Tablets – 4.3” – 24”

A relative newcomer to this niche are consumer facing tablets. Steadily falling prices have made repurposing these devices to run digital signage software instead of Angry Birds a lucrative proposition. digital signage software for tablets

Considerations:

  • When using a tablet, it becomes both the display and the player.
  • Make sure that your digital signage software is supported. Enplug currently runs on Windows (non RT) tablets.
  • Many of the features you would consider when purchasing a tablet for consumer use become irrelevant. Factors such as how many megapixels its camera has won’t matter if it is dedicated to digital signage.
digital signage for food trucks

Use Cases:

  • Tablets are perfect for table-top displays where counter space is at a premium.
  • They can also work well in unique scenarios where tablet-specific abilities like battery power and 4G connectivity can be killer features, such as on the award-winning Seoul Sausage food truck above.
  • Tablets can be the most efficient solution for locations where space is extremely limited as in the bathroom below.
digital signage tablets content

2. Computer Monitors – 19” – 32”

Television’s diminutive sibling who typically enjoys FPS games over reality TV shows. digital signage for computer monitors

Considerations:

  • Monitors are economical at some sizes, but at 32” and above televisions are usually more cost effective.
  • From a practical standpoint, you can consider a monitor to be a small LCD television that happens not to have an integrated ATSC receiver.
  • May not have VESA mounting capabilities.

Use Cases:

  • Built in stands make them easy to use for tabletop signage.

3. Televisions – 32” – 70”+

The most common solution. You can get a detailed breakdown of all the differentiating factors between televisions by reading our 10 Tips for Choosing the Best TV for Your Digital Menu Board post. enplug digital signage for bars

4. Kiosks 42”-55”

Commercial televisions in a fancy suit. enplug digital signage for malls

Considerations:

  • Kiosks command a significant price premium over a similarly sized commercial display.
  • It’s possible to “DIY” a kiosk by purchasing an enclosure and television separately.
  • Some kiosks might ship with a built in media player.

Use Cases:

  • When the aesthetic goes with the surroundings.
  • When the display is in a high traffic location at ground level, a kiosk can help prevent vandalism or accidental mishaps.

5. All-In-One PCs – 19” – 27”

You can look at All-In-One PC’s as tablets with built in stands. They’re usually not the most economical choice for digital signage, but might make sense when serving in a dual role capacity.
digital signage for monitors

Considerations:

  • Like a tablet, make sure your digital signage software is supported. Enplug will currently run on Windows and Android based AIO’s.

Use Cases:

  • If you already have an AIO can easily repurpose it for digital signage.
  • Easy to move around and set up.

6. Projectors – 70”+

Big things can come in little packages. A projector allows you to turn an entire wall into a digital signage display.
digital signage projector

“I’m sorry, Dave. I’m afraid I can’t do that.”

Considerations:

  • Must be mounted so there is always an uninterrupted line of sight between the display surface and the projector.
  • The surface should be blemish free and a color conducive to projectors, or you should invest in a projector screen.
  • You must mount the projector at a specific distance to get a desired display size. The specifics differ by model but will be available from the manufacturer.
  • Projectors use bulbs that have a limited life span. You should factor in the cost of replacement bulbs into your calculations.
  • Projectors generally perform the best in low light environments.

Use Cases:

*** Enplug digital signage software was co-founded by CEO Nanxi Liu and CTO Tina Denuit-Wojcik in 2012 to enable organizations to use customized real-time streaming content to create engaging external and internal communications.